Reflection in the water
by FlonTed
Summary: First they say it was Isaac's journey. Then it was Felix's journey. But all in all it was my journey. And I am damned sure that it will not end like this. Alex. Slash shonenai.


Disclaimer: Ahem, Golden sun isn't mine.

For some reason, my OTP always turns out weird and crack. Don't you have that feeling sometimes too?

Warnings: Slash, shonen-ai, a bit random I guess...but other than that, a lot of dialogue.

Intro: Alex had gone down with the rest of Vale and Mount Aleph. He had miraculously survived. Piers had decided to help his friends rebuild Vale before going back to Lemuria. The story takes place here.

-

"Can they go a bit faster?" Kyle asked Piers. Piers looked up from the blueprint and smiled.

"Unfortunately, they could not. They are better at battling than building structures. Moreover, we've never been asked to rebuild anything manually in our adventures…this is our first time."

"Besides the ship Briggs bought, Piers," Jenna retorted, sliding down from a makeshift table they had used to dine on. "We did help them get the boulders out of their way."

"However…to ask our djinn to do our work for us seemed a bit unfair from the start. To ask them to go faster…"

"Jenna, I thought you said that they were gods?" Dora asked, coming out of their new home.

"I have always thought they were!"

"Anyway, we've nearly rebuilt all the houses that we need. This is the last one," Isaac informed, pointing to the blueprint. "Mom, Dad, both of you know that ever since the power of alchemy was unleashed, work had been much faster than normal…"

"But Garet cannot stay at my house! There is not enough space!" Jenna protested.

"Why can't I? Did you know how many times I had saved your ungrateful butt during battle?" Garet sounded rather hurt. "And I was about to tell you that I am going to move out…"

"Why?" Isaac asked.

"They had just finished stacking the last brick of my house, exactly how my family liked it. We are moving our stuff in now, which is why we are here."

"We? You are alone…"

"…. I am disappointed that you cannot recognize me, Jenna."

"Brother, are you helping him move out?" Jenna asked, eyes widening. Garet was known to be quite strong on his own.

"What do you think? I can't carry a bed alone!"

"You can carry the frame and then the mattress in two trips," Piers pointed out.

"I...I….Now there, I've already brought him up didn't I?" Garet pouted.

"If you are not moving anything, then I am returning to help Ivan," Felix interjected.

"No! Let's go…"

They vanished into the house. Jenna laughed at her childhood friend. "Honestly, he can be so stubborn and silly sometimes!"

-

Piers looked at the horizon. Just where did the power of the golden sun go to?

He honestly did not know.

He sighed contentedly. Silence calms him down sometimes. But he did know that the journey, his journey, with them is about to end very soon. There was no permanent place for him to stay anyway, even if he wanted to. His name was never placed on the current map of the Vale he had helped to build.

Shhh…

Perhaps he can convince Conservato to retire or something. He should be enjoying his life now, not pondering about useless, nonsensical things.

Shh…

It is here, Mount Aleph, where alchemy first originated. It is here, too, when it was first sealed, by Lemurian and Valian hands, no doubt. It was a place of history, although it might be a little hill now. It still makes him feel at home. This place is brimming with psynergy.

Shh…

Pier looked up to see someone limping along the dusty, rocky ground of the hill. "You are…covered in blood…"

The person did not answer. He fell to the ground, unconscious. Piers got up from his seat at Mount Aleph's only cliff and approached the guy. His pale face rivaled that of the late Karst. Piers got this nagging feeling he had seen him somewhere before and maybe even talked to him...

He shook his head. He had seen the innkeepers of the various villages and cities many times too. He could not remember their faces either. Time seems so short to him…and every meeting seemed like a flash.

"Let me try to help…"

-

Alex did not know why he survived. He did not get why the wise one gave Isaac the power of the Golden Sun. After all his effort to get this power…

He was drained. Countless injuries were left unhealed. Infection must be infesting in one of them, because he was running a fever.

His head was spinning. He dragged his feet on the ground, too tired to lift them up and walk properly. He had survived, but he was in no condition to continue living on. If this keeps up, he is going to die out of disease.

Other than Mia, he had known no other healer out of Imil who could heal his condition, except for that Lemurian, who had most probably gone home to Lemuria to report his safety to his King.

He smiled. He must have looked pretty bad now, covered in dirt and blood.

Alex suddenly missed his footing and the ground rushed up to meet him. The dizzying darkness overcame him.

-

Felix had no idea why Piers looked so down lately. He guessed it must be because his good friend had missed his hometown. If only Piers had opened his mouth to say that he wanted to stay, Felix would have gotten his djinn to make a house just for him. Felix had secretly hoped that he would. If he did, then Felix could see him smile.

He looked at Sheba. He understood that his action on that day at the Venus lighthouse had been misleading. He thought of her as his friend, not a toy to be used to light lighthouses. Felix was prepared to accept the consequences at that time, when he had jumped down the lighthouse to save her.

If he had never met Piers, he knew that his relationship with Sheba will change drastically. If he had never seen his hopeful look, perhaps he would have decided to let him stay in the prison forever. After all, he was an extra. After all…they had Alex then. Or he thought they did.

His thoughts were all punctuated with 'if's and 'maybe's. If…if is a real thing, then he must have been the saddest guy to have ever lived. Piers must be up in Mount Aleph now. Perhaps he could convince him to stay in Vale…maybe…

Felix took his cloak and slipped out of the house.

-

Piers laid the man down on a smooth, large rock and sponged the blood off the visible parts of his body, which really wasn't much. He was dressed from head to toe, and the only skin Piers could really see were the torn parts of the clothing, often accompanied by an infected wound.

He sighed. It would be enough. The person will live.

He turned to the sky. The sunset was beautiful. He smiled and sat on the side of the cliff to enjoy it.

-

Alex felt better. He opened his sky blue eyes to look around. To his surprise, he saw the Lemurian sitting there, bathing in the warm light of the sun. So he had not gone home yet.

How unfortunate.

The earlier he got rid of him, the easier it is going to be for him to bring Isaac down and steal the power from him, one that he knew the other boy didn't even know he had. Alex smirked. One accidental push using the 'move' psynergy, and…

"Piers!"

Damn. He recognized that voice. He had heard it occasionally from that seemingly mute man who had "betrayed" him one time too many – Felix. He liked the brunette when he was silent though. He can't stand Felix when he actually talks. He had no idea why. Speaking of Felix, it just won't do if he spotted him. Threats and death warnings could reach a point where one could easily kill you when given a chance. Which is Felix's case.

Alex tried to stand up, but he had no energy. He just could not run away…

-

"Piers!"

"Felix?" He turned around to be greeted by a panting comrade. "You should be eating your dinner now, not running around," he scolded. "So, what would bring one like you here?"

Felix was confused for a second. "I wanted to watch the sunset with you."

"It happens every day. But if you want to, then I shall oblige," Piers invited, with a grin.

They sat down together, silence reigning for a long time.

"Piers…will you stay?"

"Stay…?"

"In Vale."

"I don't want to impose on you and our djinn. Building a house takes a long time and effort."

"It is only a few weeks. Alchemy had sped up everything."

"I should report back to King Hydros though."

"I shall come with you."

"W-What?"

"You need a good navigator of the seas." _Eh? That is an exaggeration..._

"I know that you certainly aren't. There was always an occasion where I saw you missing a large rock by an inch or so."

"…Sorry."

"Felix, you need to talk more often. Your voice is lovely." Piers said, smiling gently. "Like the sun."

-

Alex softened at the situation. Mia used to watch the sunrise with him. It was because of one of her stories that he knew of the Golden Sun. If he had just dismissed it as a legend, as a story, would he still hold Mia's trust? Would he confess his feelings for her? Would he continue to heal the people of Imil when they are ill? He doubted that the reality will be far from what he had imagined. However, it was because of him, that Felix got to meet the Lemurian. It was him that caused the prevention of the destruction of the world. And it was him…who had helped Isaac and company over the Jupiter lighthouse. It was him, too, that destroyed Vale many years ago.

Alex felt touched that he was someone who made a difference to the world. Watching Piers talk happily, he realized how dissimilar he looked to Mia. Typically all water adepts had blue hair. But his eyes were gold. Alex never went to Lemuria. Perhaps, one day, he could go to that place and see the marvels and beauty of the place, not to mention the legendary Lunpa.

With that much power, he guessed that he will be on par with the Lemurians in terms of ageing. He knew everyone will age much slower than normal, and the Lemurians, even slower. With the release of Alchemy, nothing is impossible.

He wanted to laugh, though his body restricts him. Felix liking the Lemurian? He was so absorbed in the guy that he hadn't even noticed Alex. It was just an inference, but Alex could bet on it that Felix was in love. He had a crush on Mia before, so he knew the feeling.

Maybe…he should just go back to Imil and confess his feelings to Mia. He…doesn't need the power any longer. Alex looked at the sun and smiled his first true smile in a long, long time. Perhaps…he had seen the light.

-

The sun had set. Piers was tired, and so was Felix. "I guess I will stay in Garet's house tonight. Jenna did say that there was no space in your house and I am inclined to agree."

"I protest!"

"I don't want to sleep on the floor, Felix."

"I will lend you mine, then." _He doesn't want to share, does he?_

"You see…I've got this ill patient here…is he from Vale? Do you know him? I thought he might not have heard the warning in time..."

Felix turned to the figure slumped on the floor. His surprise was evident. "Alex," he hissed, eyes narrowing. Alex opened his eyes and sneered at the Venus adept.

"It was a long time since I last saw you, Fe. Are you better at communication? Or even better, in love? You were never attracted by anyone except Sheba. Even Mernadi had problems coaxing a word out of you."

"Alex, you haven't changed, while I did. I am surprised you still live to this day - the mountain did collapse on our hometown." Felix scowled.

Piers blinked, before understanding the situation. "Alex…? Isn't he the one who…oh dear…"

"Why, are you unhappy that you had rescued an evil person?" Alex bit back. _What will they do now?_

"I think my memory is failing me. I'm sorry." Piers shook his head, smiling.

"W-What?"

"He is always like that. He didn't even remember us when we met him at the Gabomba Statue." Felix explained, wary of Alex.

"I see."

"So…do you want to bring him home? I know I can't just leave him here like that…after all, he did initiate this entire journey for us to get the lighthouses lit. I can't thank him more, because I certainly can't do it myself."

"…Jenna will explode if we bring an enemy to our home."

"Then what about…"

-

Note: Wonder why Alex didn't die without food for a few weeks? His healing power is enough to help him get through it, I guess. But it does have limits.

What other pairings will you all like? I personally haven't decided on the others yet. If you didn't know, this is a Felix x Piers, warped Mudshipping, and maybe Piers x Alex depending on how you see it.


End file.
